We're Off to Make 'Umrah

April 11, 2011
In rhyming couplets that blend English and Arabic, a boy narrates his family's experience of making âUmrah, a pilgrimage to the city of Mecca: "We put on ihram/ And wait for our flight;/ We'll call the talbiyah/ When the time is right." The well-executed verse and friendly, if not entirely skillful cartoons provide a positive, child's-eye-view perspective on the journey. A foldout map and cutout paper dolls add an additional interactive dimension, allowing children to walk the dolls through the same steps that the family undertakes, and
a glossary defines key Arabic terms. Ages 4âup.